One of my blogging friends today wrote this message, “Wrote a tanka today to get into the rhythm of saying more with less. It’s a japanese short form poetry system with 5-7-5-7-7 syllable scheme. Give it a try!”
So I decided to do just that. How about you? You wanna give it a try, too?
I’m an open book Filled with whimsy and color Easy to be read Very hard to be ignored Noisy and provocative
God bless you, my friends. Have a Super Saturday. It’s “No Kings Day” here No, not “Hate America!” Protect our Constitution!
Today’s prompt was: You’re writing your autobiography. What’s your opening sentence?
“I want to die with all my marbles intact!”
Intact and sparkling!
Yesterday my friend, Keri, brought her one-year-old Boston Terrier over for a playday with our pup, Kenny. Watching those two play, I knew for a fact that play is an essential part of life. If I want to keep all my marbles right up to the last day of my life on earth, I have to do as Kenny and Livvy did: play together and refresh together, too!
Play and refresh
What else is important if I want to keep all my marbles? Reading! Learning!!
While the pups were playing, Keri and I chatted about our lives. She shared that she has a 93 year-old dad. He is a voracious reader. He’s got all his marbles intact and shining! What a gift, huh? That’s what that CJ Box book is: a gift! We received it in the mail yesterday from our Bonus daughter, Elaina. My husband, Bob, age 86, also is a voracious reader. He’s read every CJ Box book there is… and this is the latest. Just out! Just here. Bob can hardly wait to dig into it!
What else is important for a long, sparkling, coherent life?
Stay connected! Connected to what?
If you know me, you know I was gonna take this message to God, His Word, and the Holy Spirit! Yup, therein lies the secret… Make sure it’s not a well-kept one!!
Share your love… Share God’s love in you… Share the Holy Spirit’s Wisdom in you… PLAY, REFRESH, READ, STAY CONNECTED.
May you LIVE LONG and Keep all your marbles intact and sparkling!
What would the first sentence of your autobiography say?
“We cannot escape the frustrations of this life. It is wise to lean on the Lord for help and guidance…”
Message from When God Thinks of You, He Smiles, a book of 365 devotions from Broadstreet Publishing. I received this as a gift last week from my “dear bonus daughter,” Elaina. Each page has a scripture, a commentary, and ends with a prayer. Boy Howdy, I needed this one today!
“Don’t worry, because I am with you. Don’t be afraid, because I am your God. I will make you strong and will help you. I will support you with my right hand that saves you.”
Isaiah 41:10 (NCV)
Ah yes, reach your hand out. Touch me. Assure me. Encourage me! I am frustrated and need to remember no one is promised a seamless life. But the strange thing is: I invited this frustration into my life!!
What was I thinking? The dead of a Montana winter is not the time… not the time to get a new puppy who has not been crate-trained, let alone house-trained!
Oh, I can be all smiles when he’s in my lap and feeling lovable and wanting to be cuddled! But, believe me, Kenny is a 6 1/2 month old 12 pound ball of energy who has decided his crate is his bathroom and our floor is his toilet – – Help!
My devotional today said, “Prayer gives us strength when trials… come our way.” Believe me, I have prayed at length about this pup! The devotional said, “When you struggle, it doesn’t mean your faith is lacking. Even when you faithfully follow God… life can still be rocky.”
I need to put this pup struggle in perspective! It’s not life or death. We will survive. Count your blessings, Jan, because he is smart and will learn… and you are smarter and can teach! Be patient!
I may have told you earlier that my friend, Terry, sent me this book: “How Dogs Think.” The cover photo looks just like Kenny must have looked at 2 or 3 months… and the subtitle of the book is: “Inside the Canine Mind.” It’s a TIME special edition. Surely this will have some good advice to add to all the things my friends are saying… and Isaiah said it, too: “I will make you strong and help you…”
The prayer at the bottom of the devotional today was: “Gracious One, thank you for the faithfulness of your love… I don’t want to spend my life worrying or full of fear. Empower me and encourage me when I struggle.” Amen!
Yesterday I attended a meeting at the EllingHouse in Virginia City, MT where our Montana Poet Laureate, Chris La Tray presented his poetry.
My post yesterday told you a little about him. I went expecting to be inspired. I was not disappointed.
He shared his history and read poems from his books. I bought the “One Sentence Journal” and my friends, Ann & John, bought his book of Haiku & Haibun (which they let me borrow for a few days).
Chris explained that Haiku does not have to strictly adhere to a syllabic count of 5-7-5 because after all, it often is translated from its origin in Japanese… and so, of course, the English version won’t have the same number of syllables. But it does have those same tell-tale three lines.
My favorite from his haiku collection was the one that got a hearty laugh last night, just as he told us it tickles the fancy of school children when he shares it with them. Shows you where my maturity level is, right? Or maybe it is reminiscent of finding our puppy’s mess in the house – ah, house training is such a challenge!
bare feet skilled at finding cat puke in the dark
Mike Gibbons wrote the preface to Chris’ #2 book. In his commentary he said, “… take your time with this book, these seasonal discoveries in American haiku form. Spare and compact poems are best consumed slowly, thoughtfully, just like the Buddhist tradition they sprang from, snapshots – bird tracks on snow.”
I like that… “bird tracks on snow.” Do you relate?
In both of his books, Chris La Tray separates the writing into the four seasons. This one would be in the winter section, of course.
fresh snow and ice the bleary party-goer turns for home
Haibun is a poetic form that includes a prelude in prose followed by a haiku. Here is one of my favorites from HIs book #2.
“A visit to Walden Pond with swimming. The trees surrounding the pond are red and gold and green and every shade in between. Leafy reflections ripple across the surface of the water. I feel no less reverent for having visited before. In the year’s final quarter it remains hot and humid, and the beach is populated with swimmers. Who am I to resist?”
face down the naturalist writes our world
This “naturalist” is a proud member of the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians. He lives near Missoula, Montana. His writing reflects his Native American background, his love of nature, his talent in the art of short-form poetry, and as one reviewer said, “his humor, sensitivity and clear eye for ‘what is’…” (Holly Wren Spaulding).
I thank the Whites for inviting me and allowing me to share this delightful evening with them. I’m gonna go now and curl up with his “One-Sentence Journal.” See ya later.
No, seriously, The question should have been “What bookS…” I can never limit myself to just one at a time! I love reading!
So, what bookS am I currently reading? Let me list a few:
The Bible (always … daily)
Devotionals that help me understand better and apply the Bible lessons to my life: a. In Touch by Charles Stanley b. Ever Faithful by David Jeremiah c. Mornings with Jesus and Walking in Grace and Strength & Grace by Guideposts d. Today in the Word by Moody Bible Institute e. These Days by Presbyterian Publishing Corp.
The Last Caretaker: A Novel by Jessica Strawser
I have Jessica Strawser’s book on my Kindle reader. I prefer having a paperback or better yet, the hardcover book, but Kindle books are so affordable – – – and I can enlarge the print to make deciphering easier. So I am getting used to reading from my laptop. The Last CareTaker is a gripping story about a lady who agrees to be the caretaker at a remote nature preserve, but finds herself in the throes of a secretive shelter for battered, abused, and at-risk women. I’m enjoying it.
How about you? What bookS are you reading right now?
Bye for now… I’m off to read some more.
(Oh, and by the way, Happy Birthday to my mom. 11-15-15 Elizabeth (Betty)Totten DeAngeles She would have been 108 today!)
Here we are when I was about 2 or 3. Quite the hairdo, huh? Sweet!
“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all * pure, then * peace-loving, * considerate, * submissive, * full of mercy, and * good fruit, * impartial, and * sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.”
Righteousness = free from guilt or sin; justifiable; genuine & excellent.
Hah! There are Bible coloring books, But they are for beginners who want to start Getting used to those Bible stories Before taking them to heart.
If you want an apple from the Teacher, Don’t search Google for the book. Just go to your own Bible, my friends. You’ll find wisdom there, if you look.
Don’t let it sit upon the shelf Gathering cobwebs, dust and dirt. Take it down, dust it off, and read. Gaining a little more wisdom never hurt!
Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Kristyn Getty has such a pure and sweet voice. The words to this song are wise indeed. I hope you’ll take time to listen and enjoy. Gaining God’s wisdom is an every day need.
God bless you, dear friends. May His wisdom increase in you every day. May you dress yourself daily in His strength!
Sending you love, hugs, and best wishes for a happy, healthy, and wise Friday. JanBeek
Posted back in 2014, “The Power of God’s Love” was my response to reading Bob Goff’s book, “Love Does.” In today’s world here in the USA, one day away from one of the most crucial national elections in our democracy’s history, this message definitely is worth reblogging!!
May this message touch your heart strings and help you share a message of UNITY with those you encounter this week!
My 2014 Post:
Your hands are God’s heartststrings on earth. The love of God is demonstrated by YOUR love.
I just finished a New York Times bestseller by Bob Goff titled “Love Does.” My granddaughter loaned it to me at Christmas time with the highest of compliments: “I know you’ll enjoy this book, Grammy. I want you to read it and be sure to return it to me when I see you in February. I have other friends I want to loan it to, also.”
How wonderful that she knew this book would resonate with me. Chapter by chapter my husband and I enjoyed the book more than you can imagine. We vowed to read a chapter a day. There are 31 chapters. Some days we couldn’t put it down.
In 20 days we were finished with the book and now we are going back to reread some sections and internalize the messages. You will want to do the same. Here are a few excerpts:
“…make a difference by getting to the ‘do’ part of faith…love is never stationary…love doesn’t just keep thinking about it…Simply put, love does.”
“The world can make you think that love can be picked up at a garage sale or enveloped in a Hallmark card. But the kind of love that God created and demonstrated is a costly one because it involves sacrifice and presence.”
“What I’ve noticed… is that almost every time I type in the word love, it gets changed to live. It’s a kind of reminder to me… Fully loving and fully living are not only synonymous but the kind of life that Jesus invited us to be part of…”
So, I am off to be fully loving and fully living today. I will put God’s love into action today by sharing it with friends and looking for ways to live the way Bob Goff does. The subtitle on the cover of his book says, “Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World.” I want to be secretly incredible today. Don’t you?
Love Does. I like that title. It’s my walking orders. The power of God’s love is in your hands and mine. Let’s go DO God’s love today.
You with me?
If you are in the USA, be sure you have made your voice heard by casting your ballot.
God loves us… God loves you… I love you! Thanks for visiting JanBeek today.
Love is a gift from God. Love is an action word. Bob Goff wrote a book: “Love Does” – have you heard?
Have you heard the Word That tells us how to love? It’s in Corinthians 13 – Instructions from above.
In her post today, Caralyn of “Beauty Beyond Bones” explained her thoughts on the subject of the Source of our love. She remarked about the newest Time Magazine featuring a cover photo of Jesus. The caption, “Who Do You Say that I Am?” caused her to give us a wonderful Valentine’s Day answer:
Caralyn wrote:
“You are my best friend. The source and foundation of my recovery. You are my hope in hard times, my gratitude in the good, my comfort in fear, my joy in the everyday, my courage and fortitude. You are the fullness of my heart. You are the grace running through my veins. You are my everything.”
In my devotional time with In Touch, the daily readings by Charles Stanley, the subject of love was linked to our faith. Yes, it is within all things – because all things were made by our Creator – made with love and care! But the reflection on today’s scripture reminded us that “… accepting God’s love is a matter of faith. Even when you can’t feel it, believe it.“
1 John 4:7-10 “7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
Love is a gift from God. We can do nothing to earn it – But it is ours to share!
Charles Stanley wrote: “No one is worthy of God’s grace and mercy… To consider yourself beyond the reach of grace is to trample on the Son’s sufficient sacrifice and the Father’s generous gift.”
Wear your love on your sleeve. Radiate love with each smile. Let love stay behind when you leave – It’s renewable – it’s your style!
Take my heart – and please don’t break it!
Love was make for you and me!
Thanks for visiting JanBeek today.
I send my love to you.
Happy Valentine’s Day! See ya tomorrow (God willing)
